Exhibit N VA HANDBOOK H-18-8 Seismic Design Requirements for Leases - Seismic Safety VA-GP

Office of Construction &
Facilities Management

Very High
High
Moderate High
Moderate Low
Low

Seismic Design
Requirements
October 1, 2016

H-18-8

H 18-8 – SEISMIC DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

October 1, 2016

FOREWORD

Background

In 1971, after the San Fernando earthquake when two VA buildings collapsed, VA began to undertake a full seismic safety program. Title 38 - United States Code, section 8105 required the Secretary to assure that each medical facility constructed or altered shall be of construction that is resistant to fire, earthquake, and other natural disasters. This initiated the creation of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Structural Safety of VA Facilities, which formally approved in 1975 the original VA Seismic Design document, H-08-8, Earthquake Resistant Design Requirements for VA Facilities. These requirements were developed with the concept that all VA Essential Facilities must remain in operation after an earthquake and were far in advance of National Codes. This document is periodically updated and revised. The revision of H-08-8 to H-18-8 in 1995 was a major rewrite to bring VA seismic design requirements more in line with the updated national model codes. Further updates/revisions of minor nature were made in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2013.
Current Revision Highlights:
 Referenced versions of national codes and standards changed to the latest date-specific editions at the time this standard was published.
 Seismic evaluation and retrofit requirements for existing buildings are updated to align

with the baseline requirements of RP 8, with modifications, and ASCE 41-13.  Redundant exemptions for existing structures and nonstructural components and equipment were removed as they are covered in Sections 2.3-2.4 and ASCE 7 Chapter 13, respectively.

Note: A vertical bar is placed to the right of the revised sections.

Lloyd H. Siegel
Associate Executive Director
Office of Facilities Planning

October 2016

i

H 18-8 – SEISMIC DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

October 1, 2016

3.0 Modifications to Requirements of IBC for New
4.0 Elements of Structures, Nonstructural Components,

ii

H 18-8 – SEISMIC DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

October 1, 2016

1.0 DEFINITIONS

1.1 AISC 341: Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings, 2010 Edition. 1.2 ASCE 7: ASCE/SEI 7-10, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2010 Edition.
1.3 ASCE 41: ASCE/SEI 41–13, Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings, American